GREAT EXPECTATIONS __________________________ A full-length drama by Rocco P. Natale Adapted from the Charles Dickens novel for the stage This script is for evaluation only. It may not be printed, photocopied or distributed digitally under any circumstances. Possession of this file does not grant the right to perform this play or any portion of it, or to use it for classroom study. www.youthplays.com [email protected] 424-703-5315 Great Expectations © 2007 Rocco P. Natale All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-62088-424-9. Caution: This play is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, Canada, the British Commonwealth and all other countries of the copyright union and is subject to royalty for all performances including but not limited to professional, amateur, charity and classroom whether admission is charged or presented free of charge. 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We think this is important, and we hope that everyone will do the right thing, thus allowing playwrights to generate income and continue to create wonderful new works for the stage. Plays are owned by the playwrights who wrote them. Violating a playwright's copyright is a very serious matter and violates both United States and international copyright law. Infringement is punishable by actual damages and attorneys' fees, statutory damages of up to $150,000 per incident, and even possible criminal sanctions. Infringement is theft. Don’t do it. Have a question about copyright? Please contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at 424-703-5315. When in doubt, please ask. CAST OF CHARACTERS PHILIP PIRRIP (PIP), a young orphan with "great expectations." Pip is a victim of circumstances desperately in love with the emotionally remote Estella. Handsome with an insatiable desire to be educated and become a gentleman. ESTELLA, Miss Havisham's adopted daughter. She is beautiful and cruel. Estella has been raised to break men's hearts. ABEL MAGWITCH, A convicted felon who escapes England with the help of young Pip. Abel is gruff and frightening, like a dog backed into a corner. MISS HAVISHAM, The owner and tenant of the dilapidated "Satis House." Miss Havisham was jilted by her lover on her wedding day and has not looked on daylight since then. She is old and cruel, yet there is something frail and delicate about her. MRS. JOE GARGERY, Pip's older sister. Comically stupid. Though she raises Pip after the death of their parents she is unkind and abusive toward him. Cockney accent. JOSEPH GARGERY, Mrs. Joe's husband and Pip's loving brother-in-law. Truly a second father to Pip. Cockney accent. HERBERT POCKET, A boy of Pip's age. A true friend and tutor. MR. JAGGERS, A lawyer from London. Mr. Jaggers is formal and proper (until displeased). Jaggers is in control of every situation he may find himself navigating. ACTOR ONE: Pip ACTOR TWO: Estella ACTOR THREE: Magwitch, Miss Havisham, Mrs. Joe ACTOR FOUR: Joe, Jaggers, Herbert Pocket ***It is entirely possible for the production to be performed with a "full" cast; in this case each actor would portray only one character. This would necessitate 5 men and 3 women. Likewise, Actors Three and Four may be either male or female, as this is not a literal production but an acting challenge for great performers. SOME "GUIDELINES" TO HELP The concept of this adaptation is to allow theatre companies of all makes and sizes to present Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. While remaining true to the novel, it is our hope that this piece can be produced by various production companies or used as a teaching tool. The play is written for four actors. One to play Pip and Estella respectively, and two versatile performers to play everyone else. This play can be expanded to include a larger cast, but it has been written to flexibly accommodate small theatres and spaces. Further, because all four actors tell the story, and because the unit set is unchanging, the play is economical and easily available to theatre companies of varying sizes and experiences. Both the elements of the prose (narrative text) as well as the spoken-conversations (dialogue) aid in the telling of Mr. Dickens' classic story and are therefore included in this theatrical adaptation. Dialogue is written in quotation marks ("…") and should be addressed to fellow actor(s) in the scene. The prose language is distilled from the novel and is a comment on the situation. Because all efforts have been made to stay as true as possible to the story, some of the language (particularly Joe's) is dialectical. Actors should use this language to inform decisions about their respective characters. All performers must be comfortable using these dual elements of storytelling to convey meaning. There are several different ways to use the prose. The actors could break character and address the audience; likewise the actors could remain in character and "use" this device similar to dialogue. I believe a healthy assortment of both distancing techniques to be correct, and the individual moments should be assigned by the director and actors. While the actors portraying "everyone else" should inhabit the respective roles and change their demeanor accordingly, their costumes should not be changed. This actor in particular, must be comfortable shifting his/her physical appearance to differentiate the roles being played. All actors should stay onstage at all times. This production is flexible; a simple set seems to work best. Lighting elements such as old chandeliers hung from the ceiling can create a strong mood for the piece and draped cloth fabric can create the world of the characters simply. The scenic elements should be kept to a minimum, allowing the language and performances to take center stage. The costumes should be period—and not change drastically. Additions or subtractions of clothing articles are encouraged, while full costume changes are not. The action of the play is unbroken; however "French Scene" designations have been made to assist with the production aspect of this play.